ATP Finals 2020: Alexander Zverev - "It wasn't good enough"
Alexander Zverev was eliminated from the group stage of the ATP Finals 2020. The German missed some chances in the second set of his defeat to Novak Djokovic .
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: Nov 20, 2020, 06:04 pm
Novak Djokovic just sent a prayer under the roof of the O2 arena, when Alexander Zverev snuck out of the deserted hall with sagging shoulders. His working day had started devastating, the third and decisive group game, after barely a quarter of an hour he was already 3-0 down against the number one player in the world, a real debacle threatened. But Zverev increased with every minute of the suddenly contested game, he fought at eye level with Djokovic, he also did not let up when he lost the first set.
But the bitter end was not spared the 23-year-old from Hamburg, an end that reminded of his most disappointing hour of the season: As in the US Open against Dominic Thiem , back then in the fifth set, an unluckily lost tie-break in round 2 concluded the tournament for Zverev. Although he led 2-0 in the lottery, it wasn't enough to finally prevent the 3: 6, 6: 7 (4: 7) defeat. At exactly 4:47 p.m. the World Cup was over for Zverev - and with it a season with many ups and downs. On and next to the tennis court. “I played my best game in this tournament, but it wasn't good enough. It's that simple, "said Zverev in a TV interview after the game. Djokovic now meets Thiem, the US Open king, in the semifinals.
Zverev with three avoidable defeats
What remains of this year for Zverev are mainly three avoidable defeats on the big tennis stages. The semi-final at the beginning of the year in Melbourne against Thiem, this Friday in London the failure in the season finale against Djokovic. But above all, and still with emotional reverberation, the missed jump on the US Open throne against Thiem after a 2-0 set lead. It could very well have been a breakthrough game series for the young German, who was actually the most successful Grand Slam player of all.
But Zverev's profile still includes negligence and negligence in the big points, which almost always decide the important matches. In this respect, Zverev remained true to his very last appearance in 2020: Because even against Djokovic, who was by no means playing at the performance limit, the giant had his options, but again and again it was himself who built a better result or even victory with careless blunders. No wonder that Zverev marched over the Center Court again and again complaining about this third World Cup appearance and discussed it with his support team. “It was a good year, but there would have been a lot more in 2020,” said Zverev, “you could have made a film out of the season. It was more in there than in any other season before. "
Duty fulfilled against Schwartzman lackluster
Two years ago, Zverev surprisingly became world champion on the third weekend in November, at that time nobody thought he could do that after mixed months of touring. In 2020 he was one of the clear favorites, also because he recently won the title twice at two tournaments in Cologne on a fast hard court and thus raised even higher hopes. But Zverev didn't really get going in London for a long time, at the last hurray in the haunted house of the O2 arena. He messed up the start against the Russian Medvedev, he was standing next to him, it was one of the weakest games of the whole season. Then he dulled his duty against the Argentine Diego Schwartzman, which did not remind you of the Zverev, for example the US Open or under the Cologne Cathedral.
Only against Djokovic did Zverev's game gain the necessary shape, albeit only with the delay of a fatal 0-3 false start. Djokovic saved himself several times only with strong, effective serves to the goal of game wins, but he could not break away from the German rival in the second set. Zverev found his self-confidence, he also found the courage to repeatedly take the offensive with determination. But he could no longer turn his fate around, in the tie-break he did not use the momentum of the early lead. How it will go on for him and the tennis business is open. Nobody will be able to travel to the fifth continent for the Australian Open before the beginning of January. What remains for now is a break from tennis. Switch off, relax. And hope for 2021. “I'm going on vacation now, to the Maldives. Together with my brother's family, ”said Zverev.